Three years ago, the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company March Two-Year-Olds in Training sale proved a milestone for Cesar Loya and it marked the time he was offering a consignment under his own banner.
If the results of the opening day of under-tack shows for the 2026 March Sale are any indication, this year’s edition of the auction could go down as another moment to remember for Loya.
With early fog giving way to clear, sunny skies, Loya saw his lone representative on the day shine during the first of four days of under-tack shows Wednesday as Hip 139, a bay colt by Army Mule, breezed an eighth in :9 3/5 to lead all workers at that distance.
tack shows for the 2026 OBS March Sale.
(OBS/Photos by Z)
Consigned by Cesar Loya Training & Sales, the colt is out of the winning mare Marching Fire, who is by champion OBS March graduate Midnight Lute and is a half sister to graded-stakes winner Sharp Sensation. After the sale was delayed for about 45 minutes due to fog in the area, the colt was the last horse to work during the first set and proceeded to back up the high opinion his consignor held for him.
“The expectations on him were pretty high, he was always very, very fast,” said Loya, who offered his first consignment during the 2023 OBS March Sale. “Every year since I’ve been out on my own, I’ve had fast horses. Obviously, he is in the top one percent you could say to go that fast. You can’t predict them going that fast, but it did not surprise me that he did it.
“And especially for him to be the last horse of the session, that to me was like closing with style. That was really special to me.”
The 2025 OBS March Sale saw Brant, who went on to sell for an all-time OBS record price of $3 million to Zedan Racing and later captured the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity en route to being an Eclipse Awards finalist for champion 2-year-old male, also post a breeze in :9 3/5.
While Loya isn’t so bold as to bank on that kind of lofty result, he does see similarities between his colt and another standout from last year’s March exercise.
“Solider N Diplomat came off the same racetrack as ours. Our farm is there with Nick and Tristan de Meric and I actually got to see Solider N Diplomat and this horse is as fast as him,” Loya said of the multiple graded stakes placed son of Army Mule who sold for $950,000 at the 2025 March sale. “Tristan knows I always asked him about (Solider N Diplomat), he was pretty special himself.”
Two horses tied for the fastest quarter mile on the day with Hip 96, a dark bay or brown colt by Tale of Silence, and Hip 168, a chestnut filly by OBS graduate Mitole, both breezing in :20 3/5.
Consigned by Doble J Equine Sales, the Tale of Silence colt is a three-quarter brother to stakes-placed winner Exxel. He is out of the winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Lemon Drop Belle, a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Bourbon Belle and half sister to Canadian champion Not Bourbon.
The Mitole filly, consigned by White Lilac (Katie Miranda), is out of the winning Noble Mission (GB) mare Mission From Elle, a half sister to multiple stakes winner Cougar Ridge.
Two horses worked in a quarter in :20 4/5:
Hip 56, a bay filly by Omaha Beach out of the winning, multiple stakes-placed Mizzen Mast mare Jazz Lady, an OBS graduate. The filly is consigned by Tom McCrocklin.
Hip 138, Mane Affair, a bay colt by Practical Joke consigned by Tom McCrocklin. The colt is out of the winning Munnings mare Mane Attraction, a daughter of stakes winner Cassidy’s Pride.
At total of 20 horses worked an eighth in :9 4/5:
Hip 15, a bay filly by Mo Donegal out of the stakes winning Stonesider mare Hey Kiddo and consigned by Champions of the Future.
Hip 25, a dark bay or brown colt by Life Is Good out of the multiple graded stakes winning Trappe Shot mare Hotshot Anna and consigned by CM Thoroughbreds.
Hip 57, a dark bay or brown colt by Army Mule consigned by Thorostock LLC. The colt is out of the Speightstown mare Jeanne’s Speight, a full sister to stakes-winner Going to Kukaro.
Hip 60, a bay colt by Omaha Beach out of the winning Quality Road mare Jet Away Sue. The colt is consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds.
Hip 70, a dark bay or brown filly by Nashville out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Katama consigned by Triple C Sales.
Hip 71, a chestnut filly by Nashville out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare Kencho consigned by RM Stables LLC.
Hip 80, Barden, a dark bay or brown colt by Knicks Go that is a half brother to stakes winner Trickle In. Consigned by Rivera Training and Sales, the colt is out of the winning mare Knox County Zip, a daughter of OBS grad City Zip.
Hip 81, a dark bay or brown colt by Munnings out of the winning Twirling Candy mare Krissys Manicure consigned by GOP Racing Stable Corp.
Hip 86, a chestnut filly by Vekoma out of the Liam’s Map mare Lady Iris consigned by Kings Equine.
Hip 88, a dark bay or brown colt by Nyquist consigned by Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne). The colt is out of Argentine champion La Extrana Dama (ARG), by Catcher In The Rye.
Hip 124, a bay colt by Mo Donegal consigned by A. G. Sales. The colt is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Lucy Buckner, a full sister to Grade 1 winner Stormy Lucy.
Hip 132, a chestnut colt by Drain the Clock out of the Freud mare Making a Point consigned by de Meric Sales.
Hip 135, a chestnut colt by Jackie’s Warrior consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester Broman. The colt is out of the stakes-winning Carpe Diem mare Makin My Move, an OBS March graduate who is a daughter of multiple stakes winner Hard to Stay Notgo.
Hip 143, a dark bay or brown colt by Practical Joke consigned by Scanlon Training & Sales. The colt is out of the stakes-winning Afleet Alex mare Market Rumor.
Hip 172, a dark bay or brown colt by Nashville consigned by A. G. Sales. The colt is out of the War Pass mare Miss Vigilance, a half sister to Grade 1 winner Man From Wicklow.
Hip 179, a bay filly by Flameaway consigned by Wildheart Thoroughbreds. The filly is out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Momentiempo, a half sister to Grade 1 winner Time and Motion.
Hip 187, a chestnut filly by Happy Saver consigned by Top Line Sales. The filly is out of the stakes-winning More Than Ready mare More for Me and is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Bishop’s Pond and graded producer Black Oak.
Hip 188, a dark bay or brown filly by Epicenter consigned by Blas Perez Stables. The filly is out of the More Than Ready mare More Than Folly, a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner Mary’s Follies, who is the dam of champion Regal Glory and Japanese champion and OBS March graduate Cafe Pharoah.
Hip 192, a chestnut colt by Practical Joke consigned by Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds. The colt is out the Frosted mare Mpemba, a half sister to Grade 1 winner Callback.
Hip 197, a bay colt by Authentic that is a half brother to stakes winners Maybe I Will and Keep Movin’ On. Consigned by Navas Equine, the colt is out of the stakes-winning Henny Hughes mare My Due Process, an OBS graduate.
The under-tack show continues March 5 at 8 a.m. with hips 205 – 408. Full results can be found at obssales.com.